GUINOBATAN, ALBAY - The old saying “Pag May Itinanim, May Aanihin” proved to be literally true in this municipality and in the other municipalities of the 3rd district of Albay which were mostly affected after the sleeping Mayon volcano has rumbled back to life.

Since January 13, 2018 when Mayon volcano began spewing ash columns prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers, a group of women from the Women for Progress Movement has been the first to donate their bountiful harvests of camote, pechay and other crops grown from their communal gardens to feed the evacuees.

This group of women, mostly housewives from Oas, Polangui and Ligao City were organized way back in 2016 by Albay 3rd district representative Fernando Vallejo Gonzales. The congressman observed that these women used to be doing unproductive activities such as gambling, gossiping or simply doing nothing while their husbands who are either farmers or fisherfolks are busy working.

Thus, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture in Bicol, Cong. Gonzales’ office and the City Agriculture Office of Ligao City organized the women, made them participate in crops production training and food processing and provided them with vegetable seeds and farm tools.

Evelyn Ragos, president of the Women for Progress Movement confirmed that their group now has 80 chapters in all the barangays of the three 3rd district municipalities, namely Polangui, Libon, Oas, Ligao City, Pio Duran and Guinobatan.

During the first provincial sortie or Byaheng Bukid of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol in Ligao City in March 2017, the DA Bicol though its High Value Crops Development Program turned over 60 kilograms vegetable seeds, 100 sets garden tools, 100 bags organic fertilizers, 500 pieces assorted fruit trees seedlings, and 100 kilograms mungbean seeds.

Through their collaborative efforts, the Women for Progress Movement has established a total of 80 communal gardens with a minimum area of 500 square meters in the barangays of the third district of Albay.

Cong. Gonzales in his facebook account shared his appreciation to the women whom Cong. Gonzales’ described as “good hearted and caring women.’’ They selflessly shared their harvests consisting of vegetables such as pechay, gabi, upo and rootcrops such as camote and cassava to the evacuees in Guinobatan. Cong. Gonzales and the women personally distributed the goods to the evacuees at evacuation sites in Villa Mercedes, Mauraro Elementary and High School, Libas, Itago, BUCAF, Guinobatan East High School, Lower Binogsacan Elementary and High School, Inascan, San Jose and Bubulusan.

The women are now eagerly preparing their communal gardens for a new planting season after sharing their harvests to the evacuation centers. They planted eggplant seedlings this time. Cong. Gonzales’ provided them with eggplant seedlings grown in plastic trays to lessen mortality. The DA HVCDP also provided vegetable seeds, garden tools and sprayer during the recent visit of Sec. Piñol in the town of Guinobatan.

Guinobatan along with the towns of Camalig and the city of Ligao are located at the foot of Mayon and have barangays within the 8-kilometer danger zone. These areas are affected by the ash fall because of the westward director of the wind.

The continued seismic activity of the volcano has covered the municipalities of Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao City and other areas in Albay 3rd district in ash while nearby towns including the 5th district of Camarines Sur are being choked with ash, which has been thick enough at times rendering zero visibility for the motorists travelling particularly the main highways connecting Camarines Sur to Legazpi City.

In her partial report submitted to DA Central office, DA Bicol regional executive Director Elena B. delos Santos reported that 9,791 farmers have been affected with a total production loss valued at P185,278,079.

As promised by President Duterte during his last visit at Camp Simeon Ola on January 29, 2018, the Provincial Government of Albay received the remaining cash assistance earlier this morning January 31, 2018 at Governor’s Office Dignitaries Hall.

Amber Mirandilla, Presidential Management Staff, was tasked to hand over the cash assistance and was received by Governor Al Francis Bichara together with Mayflor Deang, the Provincial Treasurer’s Office head and Public Administrator, Engr. Vida Prollamante.

A sum of 70 million is now on hand and an additional of 5 million from PCSO will be allocated to the municipalities affected by the Mayon Volcano’s hazardous actions.

“We will order a lot of sacks of rice. Yun lang ang gusto nila. Yung sustainability ng pagkain nila.” Governor Al Francis Bichara emphasized. He also said that the allocation of budget of the LGU’s will be depending on the number of families on their evacuation centers.

He mentioned receiving support from different national sectors both public and private. Governor Bojie Dy of Isabela extended his service by sending a thousand bag of rice.

As for international support, Governor Al Francis Bichara said that they are negotiating now with United Nations for the tents.

Governor Al Francis Bichara was asked to give a message to

President Duterte and thanked him for the cash assistance.

PGA receives 50M cash assistance from President Duterte

As promised by President Duterte during his last visit at Camp Simeon Ola last January 29, 2018, PGA received the remaining cash assistance earlier this morning January 31, 2018 at Governor’s Office Dignitary’s Hall.

Amber Mirandilla, Presidential Management Staff, was tasked to hand over the cash assistance and was received by Governor Al Francis Bichara together with Mayflor Deang, the Provincial Treasurer’s Office head and Public Administrator, Engr. Vida Prollamante.

A sum of 70 million is now on hand and an additional of 5 million from PCSO will be allocated to the municipalities affected by the Mayon Volcano’s hazardous actions.

“We will order a lot of sacks of rice. Yun lang ang gusto nila. Yung sustainability ng pagkain nila.” Governor Al Francis Bichara emphasized. He also said that the allocation of budget of the LGU’s will be depending on the number of families on their evacuation centers.

He mentioned receiving support from different national sectors both public and private. Governor Bojie Dy of Isabela extended his service by sending a thousand bag of rice.

As for international support, Governor Al Francis Bichara said that they are negotiating now with United Nations for the tents.

Governor Al Francis Bichara was asked to give a message to President Duterte and thanked him for the cash assistance.

NAGA CITY – The ash fall brought by the intermittent lava spews coming from Mount Mayon did not only affect the livestock and most of the population within its vicinity but also the transmission lines of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) which are vital in ensuring the effective conveyance of electricity from its source to every household.

In an interview, Nilda Somera, NGCP regional communication and public affairs officer stated that on the onset of the Mayon’s erratic episodes, they have already alerted their linemen to monitor their facilities particularly in areas where there are reported heavy ash fall occurrence.

“We have already anticipated that most of our transmission lines, particularly those located in Ligao and Guinobatan area will be affected by the heavy ash fall. True enough, upon the conduct of thermal scanning, we found out that most of the porcelain insulators are already wrapped up with thick ash fall,” Somera confirmed.

Forty (40) linemen were immediately dispatched in barangays Batang, Layon and Paulog, all in the municipality of Ligao to manually remove the ashes that have accumulated in the insulators and to clear 10 high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission towers.

HVDC is also coined as the “power super highway” or an electrical super highway.

“Each porcelain insulator needs to be cleaned out to prevent induction or tripping of lines. We have 34 pieces of horizontal insulators and 24 vertical insulators which need to be cleaned up manually with rugs and brush. After here, our team will clear the Naga –Daraga 230 KV line.”

To ensure that all transmission facilities will be attended in case Mayon Volcano continue to discharge plumes, Somera added that they have already requested for manpower augmentation from other NGCP office in the South Luzon area. (LSMacatangay-PIAV/Camarines Sur)

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Bicol Standard photographer Othelo Orpiada Padre captured this scene of kids showering off ashes in a free shower service provided in Guinobatan, Albay by a truck of the Bureau of Fire Protection. The town was covered anew in ash starting around 11:51 a.m. Tuesday.

Senator Win Gatchalian on Tuesday said that increasing the salaries of public school teachers should be a top priority of the government as it begins the process of crafting the 2019 budget.

"For much too long now, the modest salaries of teachers have not been commensurate to their critical contributions to society as mentors and role models for the youth of this country. Reforming teacher salaries to reflect the true importance of their work should be a top budgetary priority of the government," said Gatchalian, the vice-chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

Even with the income tax cuts under TRAIN and the implementation of third tranche of the Salary Standardization Law, entry-level teachers (salary grade 11) will still only receive a gross basic salary of P20,179 per month in 2018. The senator said this salary rate was much too low considering the long hours and skills-intensive nature of teaching jobs.

"If we can double the salaries of policemen and soldiers to compensate them for their hard work and dedication to nation-building, then we can surely increase teachers salaries as well," the senator said, referring to the generous salary increases for uniformed personnel that went into effect this year. From a base pay of P14,834 in 2017, entry-level cops and soldiers will now make P29,668 in 2018.

There was once a beautiful maiden named Daragang Magayon. She was the daughter of Datu Makusog and Dawani of Rawis, a tribe in a land near the sea. Her beauty was known throughout Bikol and she had many suitors. But none was so powerful, persistent and rich as Pagtuga, a chieftain from Iriga, who showered her with gifts of golden trinkets and fine woven clothes. Datu Makusog would accept the gifts for fear of displeasing the ill-tempered Pagtuga. But Magayon would not touch the gifts, because she hated Pagtuga’s abrasive and impulsive mood.
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A stranger named Panganoron from the lake-town of Caliraya accidentally passed by Rawis and saw Magayon and was captivated by her beauty. He instantly fell in love with her and secretly followed her everywhere. One day, while bathing in the river Magayon was caught in an undercurrent and nearly drowned. Panganoron, who was born near a lake and whose mother was thought to be a mermaid, saved her. In no time, they fell in love with each other. Consistent with the tradition of the time, Panganoron visited Magayon’s home and planted a spear on the ground fronting her window, signifying his intention to marry her.
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Pagtuga was furious when he learned of this. He called Linog, his henchman, who was a creature so large that the ground he plodded on would shake. With the help of Linog, Pagtuga captured Datu Makusog, and imprisoned him in a cave near Lake Buhi. Then thru Linog he sent word to Magayon that unless the beautiful maiden marries him, she will never see her father again.
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When Panganoron learned about the abduction of Makusog, he promised Magayon that he will save her father, but for the meantime he will go back to Caliraya and fetch his warriors.
Linog pressed Magayon to decide before the full moon lest her father would die. Magayon found no other way of saving the life of his father but to agree to marry Pagtuga. The marriage was arranged. On their wedding day, Datu Makusog was released and was to attend the ceremony.
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Before the wedding ceremony was over, Panganoron and his warriors arrived and a battle with Pagtuga and his men ensued. Panganoron was able to slay Pagtuga. On seeing her triumphant lover, Magayon rushed to Panganoron and they embraced. However Linog saw this, and he swiftly hurled his powerful spear that pierced the bodies of the lovers. They both fell dead. Linog was eventually killed by Datu Makusog.
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Panganoron and Magayon were burried in one grave. As time passed, the mound on the grave grew higher and higher until it became a majestic mountain. The people called it Mount Magayon, which was later shortened to Mayon. Most of the day, Panganoron, in the form of clouds would cover and protect Mayon.

Monday, January 29, 2018

VIRAC, Catanduanes--With the upcoming commemoration of 73rd Liberation of Catanduanes this February 8, 2018, the provincial government assures that the occasion will be something different and more meaningful compared to its customary ceremonies for the past years.

The holding of the event is in collaboration with professors from Catanduanes State University, Mr. Ramon Felipe Sarmiento and Mr. Adem Nalu Rubio who were also both enthusiasts and advocates of Catanduanes’ history and culture.

Prof. Sarmiento pointed out that the occasion will give what is due to the two living veterans and it will raise awareness on the importance of our heroes among the people especially the youth.

He added that we are to present true living heroes to serve as inspiration and epitome of today’s youth.

The program will also be involving performers from the Catanduanes Cultural Troupe and the Capitol Chorale that is expected to bring a thematic and a more of a production-like staging of the battle for Catanduanes’ liberation.

Likewise, the event will be more on giving tribute to our liberators especially to Mr. Tomas Gil and Mr. Cenon Camano who will both be given recognition.

More importantly, the youth and other sectors in the community will have their part in this commemoration.

SORSOGON CITY – Twenty-one teams with almost 100 boxers are seeing action in the Luzon preliminaries of the on-going PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup, which started Saturday at the Sorsogon National High School covered courts here.

“We could have gathered more than a hundred boxers if only the other teams were allowed by the DepEd to join this tournament,” said Supervising Tournament Director Rogelio Fortaleza.

The city’s officer-in-charge supervisor of the Department of Education here is preventing their students from joining the competition because of the coming Palarong Pambansa qualifier in the Bicol Region.

Sorsogon City coach Manuel “Jun,” Sentes said his boxers were not allowed by DepEd City OIC Superintendent Nimfa Juema to prepare them for the upcoming Palarong Bicol set on Feb. 4 to 10 in Naga City.

“But we still have one week to rest after this one,” said Sentes.

Out of the five boxers, only two were left from the Sorsogon City team. They were Sente’s grandson Sean Paul Sentes (54 kg.) and Elmer Marbella (47 kg.), whose parents insisted to allow their sons to join the nationwide grassroots developmental program.

They were later joined by the Barbarian brothers Judah and Napthali, who were also residents of Sorsogon City in the team during the final screening and distribution of identification cards and free mattresses at the Sorsogon Provincial Gym last Friday.

The boxers and coaches will also receive free meal allowance and transportation from the PSC.

Aside from the cash prizes and medals, the winners of this tournament will get a chance to become part of the national training pool.

“I really wanted all my boxers to join this event since it is a good exposure and tune-up for them for the Palarong Bicol,” said Sentes.

Sorsogon Province, which is hosting the two-day event, has been allowed by its DepEd Division Superintendent Loida Nidea to join the event.

“I only explained to DepEd how really very important for us to join this kind of event,” said Sorsogon Province Coach Salvador Castillo, who is also a public high school teacher.

He added, “We really lack exposure and competition. This can really help them develop their skills and stamina.”

Supervising tournament director Rogelio Fortaleza, a former national boxer-coach, had earlier informed DepEd to allow their students to join the event as part of their test to know if they were really prepared for the Palarong Bicol.

“It can even help these young boxers know how prepared they are already. This will be a good tune up for them. So that they will know what needs to be improved on them in case,” said Fortaleza.

Meanwhile, the preliminaries for the Visayas Region will be held in Bago City, Negros Occidental on Feb. 3 and 4 while the quarter finals of Luzon is slated on Feb. 17 and 18 tentatively in Binan, Laguna.

“It’s 80 percent sure in Binan. But we will formally announce it sooner,” said Fortaleza.

The Visayas Quarter Finals is set on Feb. 24 and 25 but the final venue has not yet been confirmed.

The other changes to the schedule are the national finals.

“We need to have a week rest or break to also re-charge our officials and teams after the Luzon Finals,” explained Fortaleza.

After the Luzon Finals in Baguio on April 7, the National Preliminaries will be held on April 21 and 23 in Mandaluyong City.

The National Quarter Finals is on April 28 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol while the National Semi-Finals is on May 5 in Tagum City.

The National Finals will be held on May 12 in Sarangani Province of Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

The other remaining schedules are:

MINDANAO - Quarter Finals on Feb. 10-11 in Kidapawan City; Semi-Finals on March 3 in Cagayan de Oro City; Finals on March 25 in Davao City

VISAYAS – Semi-Finals on March 10 in San Jose, Antique; Finals on March 31 in Maasin City

LUZON – Semi-finals on March 17 in Lingayen, Pangasinan; Finals on April 7 in Baguio City. (PNA)

LEGAZPI CITY (Bicol Standard)--"It is about time that the national government help us fast track the building of Temporary Living Quarters and Tent City, rather than squeezing our bakwits like sardines in classrooms not designed for habitation," Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe told the Bicol Standard Sunday.

This after the solon said he witnessed for himself the overcrowded classrooms filled with an average of 25 families with a total of 75 to 100 evacuees per classroom.

"As a legislator, there is no better way to make proposals or enact measures than seeing for yourself the problems you seek to resolve," he said.

"Albay is confronted with a crisis of epic proportions," Batocabe remarked.

Earlier, the congressman said education is disrupted when classrooms are used as evacuation centers.

"Children evacuees are double victims of Mayon eruption-- they are uprooted from both their homes and their schools," he lamented.

SORSOGON CITY (Bicol Standard)--Around 200 boxers from Luzon are expected to compete in the preliminaries of the Philippine Sports Commission-Pacquiao Amaterur Boxing Cup, which will take place at the Sorsogon National High School Gymnasium on January 27-28, 2018.

Several of the participants have already arrived in this city, which also happens to be the home of rising boxing star Michael Farenas.

"We will continue to help the sports development in Sorsogon and I would like to thank the Philippine Sports Commission for choosing us to be the host city in this grassroots sports program. We are proud to have a world champion in Michael Farenas. But, it's time na may kasunod na, dahil napakalaki ng potential ng ating mga atleta at kabataan sa Sorsogon," Gov. Bobet Lee Rodrigueza said.

Sorsogon has also produced basketball stars like Dante Gonzalgo and Beau Belga, Rodrigueza said.

The search for fresh boxing talent has thirteen stops across the country before the finals in Pacquiao's home province of Sarangani on May 5.

VIRAC, Catanduanes (Bicol Standard)--Police Chief Inspector Max Jim R. Tria of this province, who is known as the "Last Man Standing" in the Mamasapano clash, was honored during his third year death anniversary at Catanduanes State University this morning.

Tria was a member of the elite unit of the Philippine National Police(PNP), Special Action Force (SAF), and was among those killed in the bloody encounter.

He took his elementary and secondary education at the Catanduanes State Colleges(CSC) now CSU from June 1994 to March 2005, according to Edna Bagadiong of the Philippine Information Agency.

Tria had been with the PNP since 2005. He was a PNPA graduate of BS Public Safety.

Invited in the occasion were Gov. Joseph Cua, Cong. Cesar Sarmiento, Mayor Samuel Laynes, PSSupt. Felix Servita, and relatives of the late cop.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

The KABULIG-Bikol Inc. is now accepting entries for the inaugural Girok Poetry Writing Contest 2018. KABULIG Bikol, Inc. is a non-profit organization, non-government organization composed of writers in Naga and Camarines Sur dedicated to supporting and promoting Bikol arts and culture. Kabulig, meaning one who shares or helps in an endeavor, took off in 1999 as a loose and informal association, and was re-organized in May 2012. It has been the most sustained Bikol literary organization in the last decade and has produced and supported many of the present crop of writers actively writing in the Bikol languages.

GUIDELINES:

1. The Contest is open to all Bikolnon writers, within and outside the region, except for the members of Kabulig-Bikol Inc.;

2. Entrants must submit an accomplished application form, available at the KABULIG Bikol FB page together with the official contest entry(1 poem per entry);

3. All entries must be submitted via email at girok_erotika@yahoo.com on or before February 8, 2018;

4. Entries must be original, in a Bikol language (Bikol-Rinconada, Albay, Partido, Sentral, Catandungan, Minasbate etc.), unpublished and must adhere to the Girok-Erotika theme;

5. Entrants are free to use different poetry forms such as prose poem (proem) etc., except metrical romance, metrical tale, and epic poem;

6. Entries must be typed and formatted on 8 ½ x 11” or letter-sized paper. Poems may be single or double spaced

7. Entrant’s name, address, email address and phone number should not appear on the entry file;

8. Entries will be evaluated and judged by selected members of the Kabulig-Bikol Inc.;

9. Awarding of winners will be held during the Girok 4 Poetry reading on February 25, 2018 at Naga City.

LEGAZPI CITY (Bicol Standard)--"Education is lifetime. The Mayon Volcano eruption is short-term."

This is how Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara gives premium to education despite the calamity in a press statement regarding the suspension or lifting of suspension of classes.

Bichara, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Chairman emphasized that said suspension or lifting of suspension will be "selective and localized depending on the prevailing situations in the affected areas."

"The respective Mayors of affected cities and municipalities have been authorized to make the decisions as to said suspension and/or lifting of suspension of classes based on their intelligent and prudent judgement," the statement reads.

"This set-up is designed to make the suspension of classes most responsive to the present emergency situation and will not unnecessarily disrupt the regular schedule of classes and academic calendar," he explained.

Alert level 4 remains in effect over the volcano, as of this afternoon.

Meanwhile, asked about the calamity funds earlier today, Bichara stated: “We are using every centavo from the savings of the province for the food and water of the evacuees. We are also coordinating with many agencies for donations and deployment of volunteer workers such as nurses to assist the evacuees."